A man accused of sexually assaulting disabled young boys tells the court that it was part of a constitutionally protected religious ritual.

Phillip Distasio, 34, who stands accused of 74 charges of rape, drugs and pandering obscenity to minors, tells the judge that he is a pagan friar, and has declined legal representation.

Distasio tells the court, "I'm a pedophile. I've been a pedophile for 20 years. The only reason I'm charged with rape is that no one believes a child can consent to sex. The role of my ministry is to get these cases out of the courtrooms."

According to WHIO-TV, he said he's the leader of a church called Arcadian Fields Ministries, and that some of his congregants are among the victims in his case. Distasio was arrested on charges he molested two disabled boys he was tutoring at his home.

According to local paper, The Plain Dealer, all but one of the boys was under 13, which carries a mandatory life-in-prison sentence if he is convicted.